Cable clamp or the like



Nov. 18, 1952 CABLE CLAMP OR THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1950 G. A. TINNERMAN ETAL 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEET i INVENTORS 650066' A film/2444 140?.54/05 Fame/1 BY W ' ATTORNEY 1952 G. A. TINNERMAN ETAL 2,618,033

CABLE CLAMP oR THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTORS 650,965 4. 77A/A/EEM4A/ ZHUEi/I/CE F'zoew ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1952 CABLE CLAMP OR THE LIKE George A. Tinnerman and Laurence H'.. Flora, 1 Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Tinnerman Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 7 Application March 16, 1950, Serial No. 150,006

6 Claims.

This invention. relates in. general to fastening installations anddeals; more particularly, with an.

. improved fastener construction for securing an.

objector part to an apertured support in a positively locked fastening arrangement Iehe invention. is directed to a spring fastener of.

prise a: shank or stud. portion composed of cooperating yieldable shank. elements which are recei-vablea in a. panel opening, by a. snap fastening action in an arrangement: in which the actual securing action is based. more: or less entirely on.

the resilient engagement of such, cooperating: shank elements with the wall of the panel opening. Clip fasteners of this character have been found to result in. an entirely inordinate number" of faulty, loose installations due to the. fact. that suchsnap fastening shank elements have a decided. tendency to snap out of the panel. opening justasreadi-ly as they aresnapped in, particularly in. instances. where the installation is subject to constant. jarring. and vibration efiectssuch as takes. place. in the operation. of an automobile, forexample.

A. primary object. of. this invention, therefore, is to.- proyidez'an improved spring fastenerhaving an attaching shank or stud composed of cooperating resilient-shank elements which are. adapted to be applied bya simple axial force to'- secured position in apanel. opening, and under. a positive locking action provided by one of said shank: elements in abutting engagement with the underside of the panel at a point. materially spaced from the panel opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a; spring fastener having ashank or stud composed of cooperating resilient shank elements and. in whichv the shank element providing the aforesaid positive locking action is in the form of a: projecting: hook defining a blunt point and a pronounced. lateral locking shoulder, while the cooperating shank elementcloses the open end of said. hook in: the form in which the fastener is prepared ready for use. The arrangement, accordingly, is such that objectionable tangling of the fasteners by their hooks is avoided while the blunt points on the fasteners advantageously pre- 2t I vent damage to upholstery, or other overlying ma-- terial, orpossible injury toone. working in the area in which the fasteners are installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved spring fastener of the kind described comprising a shank or stud composed of a hook like shank element which is received in a panel opening and engages the underside of the panel at a point materially spaced from the panel opening in a positively locked attachment thereto, together' with a cooperating shank element which engages the wall of the panel opening to retain said hook-like shank element against shifting or displacement from applied fasteningposition in such positively locked attachment to the panel.

Another object of the-invention is to provide an. improved fastener having the foregoing features of construction, either in whole orin part, and inwhich the fastener is provided with a generally arched or bowed base thatadapts a single size of thefastenerfor'use with panels of different thicknesses.

A.- further object of the invention is to provide various forms of fasteners such as describedinthe manner of simple, one-piece sheet metal devices which are cheap and inexpensive to manufacture and lend themselves to economical 'quantity production in that they may be provided at relatively low cost from ordinary sheet metal stripstcck with little loss or waste of material.

Further objects and advantages and other new and useful features of the invention will be readily apparent as the following description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, in which like reference characters designate like parts. throughout, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through an installation showing a cable clamp type of fastener in accordance with the invention as secured in an opening in a relatively thick panel;

'Fig. 2' is a view identical to Fig. 1 showing the same cable clamp type of fastener as secured in an opening in'v a relatively thin panel;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar toFig. 1 showing the fastener as initially applied in the panel opening; and,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastener shown in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, as. seen from the underside thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing another cable clamp type of fastener in accordance with the invention as provided for a rigid positively locked attachment to a curved panel surface; and,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fastener shown in Fig. as seen from the underside thereof.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a further form of cable clamp in accordance with the invention as secured in a positive lock in a panel opening.

Fig. 8 i a sectional View of a molding installation embodying another form of fastener in accordance with the invention.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, Figs. 1-4 inclusive show the invention as embodied in a preferred form of cable clamp for securing one or more cables, tubing. wires, or the like, in mounted position on a supporting panel or plate A, Figs. 1 and 3, or a similar thinner panel A, Fig. 4. Installations of this character have a wide range and variety of applications and uses in automobiles as the means for mounting a combination of conduits such as one or more electrical wires or cables and a gasoline pipe, for example. The panel A is provided with a fastener receiving opening I which may be of round, rectangular or other suitable outline so long as it is of a size proportionate to the shank or stud portion of the fastener to be employed to provide for a positive lock thereof in the panel opening, as presently to be described. Preferably the panel opening I is provided as an ordinary round hole in any thickness of panel with which the fastener is intended to be used ranging from a relatively thick panel A such as shown in Fig. 1 to a relatively thin panel A as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The fastener designated generally II] in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, is a simple formed, inexpensive device which may be constructed of any suitable sheet metal material, preferably spring metal or cold rolled metal having spring-like characteristics. The device may be formed from blanks of various outlines, of course, but from a quantity production standpoint, is most advantageously provided from a comparatively small, generally rectangular blank which may be obtained from standard sheet metal strip stock with little loss or waste of material.

The metal strip forming the body of the fastener is relatively wide compared to the shank or stud elements struck and formed therefrom and consequently, presents wide bearing surfaces for firmly and rigidly retaining an article in mounted position on the panel A while the shank or stud elements require only a comparatively, small opening in the panel for securing the fastener in applied position. In forming the fastener I6, Figs. 1-4 inclusive, a portion of such a strip, accordingly, defines a relatively Wide base II which preferably is bowed or arched intermediate its ends and provided with rounded riblike edge portions I2 which prevent chafing of the articles secured by the fastener and otherwise stiffen said fastener base II to add to effectiveness of the securing action of the fastener in attached position.

A shank element I3 is struck and formed from the material of said fastener base I I and the adjoining end portion to depend from substantially the apex of the bow or arch formed therein. Said shank element I3 is, in effect, a stamped out strip which comprises an integral dependant leg portion I4 projecting generally normally from the underside of the fastener base and which is formed in a bulbous return bend defining a blunt point and a return bent hook portion IS on the free end of the strip which is yieldable relatively to said dependant leg portion I4. The said hook portion I5 extends upwardly from the blunt point of the dependant leg I4 in the manner of a diverging guide surface I6 merging with an inwardly bent end portion which defines a pronounced locking shoulder I! on the extremity of said hook portion I5. A complementary shoulder I 8 is provided at a corresponding point on the dependant leg I4, by means of a small transverse slit, Fig. 4, with the material adjoining said slit pressed outwardly out of the plane of said leg I 3 to define the desired locking shoulder I8 thereon.

Preferably, the strip I3 defining said dependant leg I4 and the hook portion I5 carried thereby is provided throughout its length in the manner of a slight corrugation which presents a rounded outer surface conforming to the contour of the circular panel opening I and otherwise adds to the strength of said dependant leg I4 and hook portion l5.

As seen in Fig. 4, the cooperating shank element I9 is stamped from the opposite end portion of the fastener base II and is bent to the underside thereof to define a lug or tab having a spacing from the dependant leg I4 a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the panel opening I. The shank elements I4 and I9, accordingly, are provided in the normal condition of the fastener substantially as shown in Fig. 3, and in the fabrication thereof, the shank element Iii is first bent to its proper position and the hook portion I5 on the dependant leg I4 then bent to overlap said shank element I 9 to form the completed stud or shank in the manner of a closed loop which prevents objectionable tangling of the fasteners by their hook portions.

The fastener Ii] is provided with article holding means formed from portions on either or both ends of the fastener base II. In the cable clamp type of fastener shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, an extension 20 is provided in a return bend defining a spring arm or clamp overlying the fastener base II and adapted to cooperate therewith in holding one or more articles a, b, 0, such as cables, conduits, tubing, or the like.

The spring arm 20 is formed with an inward abutment '22 which merges into an outwardly flared, relatively long tongue 25 that facilitates the introduction of the cables or conduits to be retained under the spring arm 20. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the arrangement is such that the spring arm 26 is adapted to retain a group of cables or conduits a, b, c, of different cross-sections and of any size from a large size cable 0 to a small size cable or wire 11, for example. Preferably, the spring arm 20 is also provided with rounded longitudinal edge portions 21 which minimize possible chafing of the articles secured thereby due to vibration effects, and the like.

The completed fastener I9, accordingly, is provided substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the shank leg I4 and hook portion I5 having a normal spacing considerably greater than the diameter of the panel opening I. In the initial step for applying the fastener shank to secured position in the panel opening I, the blunt point of the shank is entered into the panel opening I to a position in which the leg I4 and diverging guide surface It seat against opposing edge portions of the panel opening. An axial thrust-like force is then applied to the arched or bowed fastener base I! in the region of the apex thereof to flatten the base as necessary to push the shank through the panel opening to the position shown in Fi g 1. Under such axial force, the diverging guidesurface It on the hook portion l5 cams against the adjacent edge of the panel opening I andcauses a gradual compression of said hook portion l5 toward the dependant leg M with the shank element l9 yielding Slightly inwardly at the same time. This permits the: hook portion i5-to;; pass through the panel opening I until the locking shoulder H on the extremity thereof clears the rearward side of the panel A, whereupon said compressed hook portion is free to expand and automatically project the locking shoulder'll into engagement with the panel at a point materially spaced from the panel opening I, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and2 The inherent resiliency of said hook portion 15- maintains the same in such expanded condition thatthe locking shoulder I! is permanently retained in engagement with the panel at a point materially spaced from the panel opening I, as aforesaid. In the applied position of' the lockingshoulder IT, the complementary shoulder I8 on the dependant leg It also clears the panel opening I and engages a marginal portion thereunder the spring force of the shank element #9,} thereby preventing any tilting of said leg I4 which might tend to displace the fastener from its'appli'ed fastening position. The shank element [9 cooperates with the dependant leg is in engaging opposing wallportions of the panel opening I to retain the fastener against shifting or displacement from its fully attached position in which the pronounced shoulder I! on the extremity of the hook 15- providesa positive lockingot the shank in the panel opening as aforesaid. Upon release of pressure on the flattened fastener base II, said base attempts to assume its initial arched, or bowed configuration and thereby exerts an axial drawing action on thedepend'ant leg It and hook portion 15 to draw the locking shoulder I I into firm and rigid positivelocking relation with the panel, as aforesaid.

In any event, the projecting locking shoulder I l onthe extremity of the hook portion [5 engages the rearwardside of the panel A at a point materially-spaced from the panel opening I in a firm, rigid and positive locking action. The looking shoulder I is retained in such positively locked fastening position by theshank element mans leg [4 engaging opposing wall portions of the panel opening I and consequently, said locking shoulder ll cannot move of its own accordinthe reverse direction toward removal through the} panel. opening I.. In. effect, thedescribedlocking: action of the locking shoulder IT prevents any reverse movement of the shank from th-panelopening I except by such distortion and deformation of the hook portion l5 that the fastener is virtually destroyed.

An important advantage of the fastener of thisinvention resides in the fact that asingle size of the fastener may be applied with equal: effectiveness to similar openings. in panels of different thicknesses ranging from a relatively thick panel,

. as shown in Fig. 1 to a relatively thin panel,

asseen-in Fig. 2; This wide range of application of the fastener is provided for by the bowed or arched construction. of the base II which exerts an. axial pulling force on the dependant leg 14 for drawing thelocking" shoulder H, in its aforesaid lockingposition, into firm rigid engagement with the rearward side of any thickness of panel with which the fastener is intended to be used. The bowed or arched fastener base ll thus serves in the manner of a yieldable take-up means that .7

6 adapts. a single size fastener for use with an entire range of panels of dlflerent thicknesses which, of course, greatly simplifies the problems involved in the manufacture and stocking of the fasteners, as may be readily understood.

Figs. 5 and 6' disclose another form of fastener 30' in accordance with the invention that is generally similar in construction, application and use to that described with reference to Figs. 14 inclusive, but which is particularly adapted. for attachment to a curved panel surface C, or thelike, to provide a firm seating of the fastener on such a curved-surface with the shank thereof locked in the panel opening in such attached position.

The fastener base 31 in this form of the invention is provided in the same general manner with a spring retaining arm 20 and similar cooperating shank elements I4, 19', which are receivable in a positively locked attachment inthe panel opening. 2. in the generally curved panel or plate member C. Frequently a curved panel or plate member C of this character has such a pronounced curvature that the arched base 3! of the fastener is not adapted to seat firmly and: rigidly from the sides of the base and bent to projectin resilient relation to the underside of said base. As seen in Fig. 5, the extremities of said spring fingers 35' cooperate with the free end of the base 3| in. engaging the curved. panel surface (T at suitably spaced points in such away that the fastener seats firmly and. rigidly thereon in attached position. form of. fastener, accord,- ingly, is adapted for a quick and easy attach.- ment to locked; position in the panel opening 2' in substantially the same manner described. in. referenceto Figs. 1-4 inclusive, and in. the applied position. of the fastener, the resilient spring fingers 35, which actually are a part of the has tener base, compensate for the pronounced curvature of such a curved panel or plate member- C and seat the fastener firmlyandrigidly inlocked position thereon.

Fig. 7 discloses a further form of the invention comprising a fastener 40 which is constructed similarly to that of Figs. 1-4" inclusive with thesame general type of arched or bowed base together with cooperating shank elements l4, [9. This form of the invention includes a spring arm provided at either end: of the fastener base 4| for separately accommodating cables, tubingor similar articles of the same or different diameters. One end of the base is provided with a simple U-shaped spring, arm 45 which is adapted for a snap fastening actionwith the article e secured thereby in, a manner to retain such article between said spring arm 4.5 and the adjacent surface of the fastener base. spring arm 45. is provided with. an outwardly flared. extremity 46 which facilitates. the. application of the article: e to; snap fastened position leetween the spring arm. 45 and the adjacent por tion of. the fastener base 4i. At theother end of the fastener base 4|, an extension is provided inthe form of a. spring armllll which is; adaptedtoclampan article 1' against the: adjacent surface: of the panel A to which the fastener is secured. Preferably such a spring arm is provided with-a similar-outwardly flared extremity 4 8 which, likewise, facilitates the attachment of the article f Preferably, such a between said spring arm 41 and the adjacent surface of the panel A.

Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of the invention as provided in the form of a fastener 50 for mounting a molding or other chanel-shaped object in a manner whereby both the fastener and molding may be applied in an operation taking place entirely from the forward side of the supporting panel A in an installation which is especially advantageous in blind locations where the reverse side panel is not conveniently or readily accessible. This form of fastener is provided with the same general type of arched or bowed base carrying similar securing means comprising the cooperating shank elements l4, l9. On either end or side of the base portion 5| there are provided suitable spring arms 53, 54, onto which side flanges 63 of the molding M or other channel-shaped object may be sprung to be retained in fixedly and rigidly mounted position on the supporting panel, substantially as shown in Fig. 8, it being'understood that as many fasteners 5! as are necessary are attached to the supporting panel A along the path which the molding M extends in mounted position and are secured in individual panel openings l substantially in the manner described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

. The improved fastener in any form preferably is constructed of relatively thin sheet metal the thickness and width of which is selected according to service requirements and the predeter mined size of the parts of the assembly or the articles to be secured. The fastener is most effective when provided of spring metal suitably spring tempered and otherwise treated to give the desired toughness and hardness, particularly in the case of assemblies which are subject to extreme conditions of vibration. A cheap and highly effective fastener may be provided from cold rolled metal such as cold rolled steel which is untempered but of a spring metal nature and capable of providing an effective and reliable fastener, as and for the purposes described.

While the invention has been described in detail with specific examples, such examples are intended as illustrations only inasmuch as it is quite apparent that various changes and modifications may be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal bent to define a base and a shank projecting from said base receivable in a work opening, said shank comprising a pair of spaced shank elements in opposite substantially aligned relation, one of said shank elements extending toward and around the other shank element into a portion directed toward said base and defining a shoulder for engaging a surface of the work adjacent said opening in cooperation with said base engaging the opposite surface of the Work in the secured position of the fastener.

tending toward and around the shorter shank ele- I ment into a portion directed toward said base and defining a shoulder for engaging a surface of the work adjacent said opening in cooperation with said base engaging the opposite surface of the work in the secured position of the fastener,

said shorter shank element being disposed inwardly of said shoulder and engageable with the wall of said Work opening in said secured position of the fastener.

3. A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal bent to define a generally arched base and a shank projecting from the concave side ofsaid base receivable in a work opening, said shank comprising a pair of spaced shank elements of unequal length in opposite substantially aligned relation, the longer shank element comprising a hook extending toward and around the shorter shank element and forming substantially a closed loop with said shorter shank element, said hook terminating in a portion directed toward said base and defining a shoulder for engaging a surface of the work adjacent said opening in cooperation with said generally arched base engaging the opposite surface of the work in the secured position of the fastener, said shorter shank element being disposed within said hook and inwardly of said shoulder and being engageable with the wall of said Work opening in said secured position of the fastener.

, 4. A fastener for an article such as a cable or conduit, or the like, said fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal bent to define a generally arched base and an arm extending above the convex side of said generally arched base adapted to hold said article between said base and arm, a shank projecting from the concave side of said base receivable in a Work opening, said shank comprising a pair of spaced shank elements of uneoual length in opposite substantially aligned relation,

\ the longer shank element comprising a leg depending from said base in the form of a longitudinal corrugation and having an outwardly projecting shoulder, said leg carrying a hook extending toward and around the shorter shank element and forming substantially a closed loop with said shorter shank element, said hook hav ing its end extending toward said base and defining a shoulder, said shoulder defined by the end of the hook and said shoulder on said leg both being engageable with one surface of the work adjacent said opening with said generally arched base engagin the opposite surface of the work in the secured position of the fastener, and said shorter shank element being disposed within said 3 hook and inwardly of said shoulder and being engageable with the wall of said work opening in said secured position of the fastener.

5. A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal bent to define a base and a shank projecting from the underside of said base comprising a pair of spaced. shank elements in opposite and substantially aligned relation, one of said shank elements extending toward and around the other shank element into a portion directed toward said base and defining a shoulder, said base being adapted to be secured over an opening in work having a curved outer surface with an end portion of said base bearing on one level said curved outer surface, means projecting from the underside of said base in spaced relation to said end portion of the base adapted to bear on another level of said curved outer surface in the secured position of the fastener, and said shank being receivable in said work opening in said secured position of the fastener with said shoulder engageable with the undersurface of the work adjacent said opening.

6. A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal bent to define a base and a shank projecting from the underside of said base comprising a pair of forming substantially a closed-loop with the 5 shorter shank element, said hook terminating in a portion directed toward said base and defining a shoulder, said base being adapted to be secured over an opening in work having a curved outer surface with an end portion of said base bearing 10 on one level said curved outer surface, a pair of spaced fingers projecting from the underside of said base in spaced relation to said end portion of the base adapted to bear on another level of said curved outer surface in the secured position 15 of the fastener, and said shank being receivable in said work opening in said secured position of the fastener with said shoulder engageable with the undersurface of the work adjacent said opening and said shorter shank element engageable with the wall of said opening.

GEORGE A. TIN NERMAN. LAURENCE H. FLORA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,068,633 Upham Jan. 19, 1937 2,080,769 Fitts May 18, 1937 2,084,717 Wiley June 22, 1937 2,128,005 Lombard Aug. 23, 1938 2,223,622 Kost Dec. 3, 1940 2,246,720 Churchill June 24, 1941 2,454,894 Tatom Nov. 30, 1948 

